Music Picks: Jukebox the Ghost, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith

The Head and the Heart play 9:30 Club tonight, June 28. Photograph by Flickr user derekskey.

Thursday, June 28

Seattle’sthe Head and the Heart play pretty folk music that gets poppy at times, to keep your ears interested. After opening for Dr. Dog earlier this year,
they’re back for a sold-out headlining show at 9:30 Club.

Brandi Carlile spells her last name the way it sounds, without that sneaky “s”—gotta respect that. She takes the singer-songwriter genre
and, at times, speeds it up with a full band. Her latest,Bear Creek, dropped earlier this month.

DC nativesJukebox the Ghost have abandoned us, going on to bigger things in Philadelphia, but Friday they’ll stop by to say hello. They play piano-driven
rock and roll, and their debut,Live and Let Ghosts, is one of the catchiest records you’ll ever hear. Their latest album,Safe Travels, is a little more grown up (read: worse), but they still know how to write a pop song.

Vancouver’sJapandroids are neither Japanese nor androids, but they play awesome punky garage rock. Both members,Brian King andDavid Prowse, share vocal duties, giving the band a bigger sound than you’d expect from a duo.

7 PM at Rock & Roll Hotel, sold out.

Along with Black Sabbath, Iron Maidenhelped popularize heavy metal. There was a lost period between 1994 and 1999 when singerBruce Dickinson left the band—but since his return, the band have released four albums and toured countless times, proving the world never
gets tired of guitar solos.

Enough with the dubstep and electro-house—if you’re looking for something to really dance to,Scissor Sistersare your band. Instead of
going with droning bass and alien beats, they rely on instruments,
melody, and tasteful-ish vocals.
Their show tonight is sold out, but if you’re not constrained
by arbitrary “days of the week,” their show Tuesday still has
tickets available.

7 PM at 9:30 Club, sold out ($40 tomorrow).

Tuesday, July 3

Is there anything more American thanCrosby, Stills & Nash? What’s that,Steven Tyler? Your band’s tune was used as the
defining song in a movie that
features astronauts
sacrificing their lives blowing up an earthbound asteroid,
saving all mankind? We’ll allow it. Only in America will you have
to make the decision between these legends. Choose wisely.